Archaic Torso of Apollo

How is the poem like a statue?
What are Apollo's attributes as a god and how are they shown in this poem?
Why are these attributes chosen?

Why does Rilke emphasize the sexuality of the statue?
What does the poem say (and demonstrate) about the role of art?
How shall we interpret the famous last command?

The Panther

How does the poem progress, what happens with the relationship between the speaker and the object?
What other role does the animal take on in stanzas 2 and 3?
Compare the panther with Blake's Tyger.

The Swan

What can you see about the form here? (Should be a 14 line sonnet: why/where are some of the lines gone, why/where are they all there?)
What is the theme and what does this form have to do with it?

Spanish Dancer

Note the importance of the title! How else would we know?
Flamenco comes from flame; go through the stages in the like of the flame and describe.
What is the flame a metaphor for?
How many meanings can we find for the act of extinguishing with which the dancer ends her performance?
Parallels between Flamenco and bullfighting?